|
BUILDING THE BLACK GATE
Part two: The Gatehouse
© Lotrscenerybuilder 2009
Step 11:
To construct the 'body' of the upper tower section we produce four 4mm MDF Isildur Core pieces. Glued together they make a 16mm x 16mm x 40mm MDF block.
.jpg)
Copy the Isildur Mantle template onto 1mm cardboard and cut it out. Next, copy the red incision lines on the back of the element. Make sure that the red incision lines do form an alternating pattern on the front and back side.
Bend all strips back and forth into the familiar 'harmonica'-shape. Press them tight together to obtain the optimal effect.
.jpg)
We're going to glue the Mantle element step by step to the MDF core. Study the pictures closely. The strips of the Mantle are of different width; the bigger ones are meeting in the centre of the MDF core, the short ones are glued onto the corners…
.jpg)
Just put some glue onto the inner ribs and press them onto the MDF. Hold them tight for a while until the glue has dried sufficiently.
.jpg)
This job might take a while; just make sure that all ribs - the ones in the centre and the ones at the corners - are firmly attached to the core.
.jpg)
Glue the pinnacle on top of the turntable; of course the best looking face is going to be the front one!
Cut out four 1mm cardboard Pippin Medium elements and glue them in the crooks between the corner fins; study the picture (note that there aren't any Pippin elements in the central spaces).
.jpg)
Copy the Isildur Helmet template onto 4mm MDF and cut it out. Also, copy four Isildur Crown elements onto 2mm cardboard and cut them out. Note that there are red incision lines on either side of each Crown element; bend the elements into shape as shown in the picture. Then, have them glued onto the Helmet element (study also the next pictures).
.jpg)
Take a good look at the Isildur Crown templates: they show the same pattern as all parapet front panels before. Glue four Bill (small) pieces along with four A spikes onto every Crown element. Note that the length of 1.5cm of the Bill elements fits perfectly with the completed parapet (4mm MDF + 1,1cm cardboard crown makes 1.5cm).
.jpg)
Next, glue a Bill (medium) element together with a B Spike at the centre of each Crown element.
We're going to need four Isildur Horn elements on every corner of the tower; copy them onto 4mm MDF; use the fretsaw to cut out the elements. The finishing of these Horn elements is identical to that of the Bill (large) element(see for this: Step 5). Use some filler to mask the joints.
.jpg)
When the four Isildur Horns are in place, add another couple of A Spikes in every nook between the Horns and the Crown elements (you will need another sixteen A Spikes); study the pictures.
.jpg)
To the left of the northern horn there are two of these extra A Spikes visible…
.jpg)
We use the Elendil Front element to create a continuity between the Gateway parapet and the Gatehouse parapet. Copy the Elendil Front template onto 2mm cardboard, cut it out and bend it around the curved upper rim of the MDF tower frame. Make sure the cardboard is in perfect alignment with both neighbouring walls.
.jpg)
Glue six Bill (small) pieces onto the Elendil Front element, together with six A Spikes.
.jpg)
Next, glue three Bill (medium) pieces onto the Elendil Front element, together with three B-spikes.
From aesthetical point of view you have just completed the hinge tower. If you are going to use your miniature of the Black Gate solely as a showpiece, there's no need to continue with the next step, which tells you how to fabricate a simple hinge system.
|
